The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-25
Written Tor tho Appeal.

the mouth OF the
Father OF Waters and the Crescent City,
and / had The privilege OF ut any time
taking passage to Port Eads upon them.
But one trip was made, however, TO the
Lands End, and although my stay was
brief il possessed its incidents and made
It's impressions. On the night OF the
23d OF December q tow was made up
for one of the tugs. IL consisted OF
three large schooners, each n bound for
n different land. Ii was Il noisy place, to
expect to sleep on that little boat, but
lay down soon after we left New Orleans,
and the very notes.-the regular exhausls
Of the engine and the whur of the propel-
Ter rs ii lashcd the water, which at iirst
bailled sleep, became musical in its regu-
larity, aud slept.
| was awakened at daybreak the next
morning-thc morning Of the day bolorc
Christmas. by this time we had gotten
within forty miles Of the gull. 1t was n
glorious day. | had but n week before
been enjoying the cheerful fires upon a
hearth in a northern cline, while the cold
bleak winds Of winter sighed aud moancd
mournfully about the gables of the house,
vibrating the strings OF a thousand polian
harps tuned 10 render the song OF rclcnt-
less winter; but now | WIS basking in a
sun oil endless cheeriulness vegetation
wild and varied tecned about me in the
rich profusion Of n tropic zone; the atmos.
pherc was ladened with the rich, mellow
Viocc of the mocking bird, as its warm
notes issued from the dense palmetto
groves that line the banks OF the southern
Mississippi. The transition was most en-
joyablo and inspiring-it was the difference
between the north and the south.
AS the stout little steamer plowed
bravch through the muddy water and
pulled yocilcrOusly, dragging the huge
vessel in It's wake, | could but smile at thc
%incongruity Of the thing-those great YES.
sells, with their towering masts and
mammoth hulks, that could have swal-
lowed mp twenty tugs, depending upon
the little thing to carry them TO the sea,
catering to its will lazily, listlcssly and in
differently.
Looking out upon the banks Of this
stream one is impressed with the great
good that has been accomplished by the
j%etties. To fully appreciate the change
which by them has been wrought ones
mind must rcyert 10 the time when the
river took its " course. The most prOm.
inent feature is a negative one-the alb,
scnce OF bluffs or even banks 10 hold the
iOItllN flfNtlln hlAlllH NOlIlaNN anu W flTulA y
angry will. The surrounding country il
lower than the river itself-marsh, bayou
shoal, wastc-an uninyiting prospect. tn,
N river, before IL was confined 10 its present
narrow channel by the %jetties, scarcely
dragged itself along. Swollen and slug
pish, the yellow flood OOzcd through an,
broke over its uncertain banks, appearing
beyond In Shiny, stagnant pools, iron
which cmanatcd n poisonous malaria
atmosphere. The soil was but n sediment
of mud, rich In prolific vegetation. Her
and there did the earth cover II with
crust Of trcachcrous quagmire, which th'
river formed, and which Il was ever read!
20 hide beneath its ~tluctuaiiDg tide. |
was more n lake than a river. The eyap
ontion Of this broad surface Of murk!
water caused heavy, somber mists 10 risl
and deposit their burdens Of almost cease
less rains, ill their buckets again N,
empty them over the same spot,
monotonous, wearisome task.
A glance at an early map Of southern
Louisiana would puzzle one TO dccid
whether land or water predominated, an,
its salvation from the oyertiows OF the rive
and the constant breaking in Of the ~
was only accomplished by the sicadias
patience aud courage OF man. The jcttics
tiNfllt nv ~ AuAN iNNlAlN NhhN Wv hehN
anc 10 Holland, which Napoleon called Al
a~lluyion Of French rivers and added II I
his empire on this prctcxt.
Another writer says Of Holland, that
Il n sort OF a transition between land an
sea: another, an immense crust Of iloalin
earth; and Phillip II. called IL the cOuntr
nearest 10 hell. 10 would be no cXaggcrI
ton 10 say that these definition
Gttingly applied 10 the country about III
mouth Of the Mississippi, ~ il used 10 be
Now, however, IL IL changed. A pyolu
ton has visited this sad, gray land. Plan
tatlons Of the richest soil now border IN
river, and their annual products Of sugl
canc and cotton are carried To the MAJ
keis OF the civilized world. Bright, war,
vegetation, pleasant groves, blue ethercs
skies nrc now the characteristics Of th
country-another Italy.
We now enter South pass, an artiicii
channel some ten miles in length, runnin
out into the sea. Although u great chang
has been wrought above this pass, III
oriyinnl desOlation still remains here. III
jcttics are between two powerful onemi,
the river on the one side and the Sea o
The other. These two forces are constan
ly a~sSailing and threatening the dykes pr
>thcrc 10 make navigation possible. AlOn
either side OF the river are the huts
pilots and fishermen built upon the mai
made earth.
II Is a sinister, desolate place, and
night nothing but the roaring Of Il
river, the beating Of the sea and the hon
bic shrieks Of bclated sea.fows can !
heard. We slow up M We enter the pc
10 allow the government pilots 10 boardt u
vessels. take advantage of the opportl
nifty and get aboard one Of the schooner
Climbing TO the topmost yard Of the 70
ward mast, q splendid view Of the gulf Nh
coas, Is obtained. / WINS held enchant,
there between heaven and earth, awed !
the vast cxpansc Of water stretching I
30 the south, ending only where Il and Il
skies seemed 10 meet
What n difference in the Christmas ID
here and In the country Of snow and ic
We now enter the gulf, and taking u
ships out q short distance left them 10 taI
their " courses. Their sails were sprei
and the great white wings filed with u
stiff but semi.tropic, breeze, and they toC
their flight over the bOuudlcss main III
30 many solitary birds.
/ could not but feel some %solicitu,
about the destinations Of these occ,
travellers. Whether they would land safe
nj their journeys end, or whether III,
would be cast upon some dismal Goa
who's t~rcacherous rocks would dash the
b. pieces. How many youths like the
vessels -splcndidly equipped, brave
manned, start out on the sea Of life, full
promise, hudable ambitions, loi
thoughts upon y lowcry path Of iclici